62nd Session of UN Social Development Commission

 What’s in today’s article?

•  Why in news?
• What is UN Commission for Social Development (CSocD)?
• What is UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)?
• News Summary: 62nd Session of UN Social Development Commission

Why in news?

• The UN Commission for Social Development has elected India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ruchira Kamboj as its chair for the 62nd session.

What is UN Commission for Social Development (CSocD)?

• About
  • CSocD, formerly known as Social Commission, has been in existence from the very inception of the United Nations.
  • It advises the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and Governments on a wide range of social policy issues and on the social perspective of development.
  • CSocD is a functional commission of the ECOSOC of the United Nations.
  • CSocD meets annually in New York, usually in February.
• Purpose
  • Since the World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen in 1995, the CSocD has been the key UN body in charge of the follow up and implementation of the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action.
  • Since 2006, the Commission has taken up key social development themes as part of its follow up to the outcome of the Copenhagen Summit.
• Membership
  • Originally 18, membership now stands at 46.
  • Members are elected by ECOSOC based on equitable geographical distribution for four-year terms.

What is UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)?

• About
  • It is one of the six principal organs of UN which was established by UN Charter (1945)
  • It is responsible for the direction and coordination of the economic, social, humanitarian, and cultural activities carried out by the UN.
  • Decisions are taken by simple majority vote. The presidency of ECOSOC changes annually.
• Members
  • It has 54 members which are elected for three-year terms by the General Assembly.
  • Four of the five permanent members of the Security Council have been continuously re-elected.
  • This is because they provide funding for most of ECOSOC’s budget, which is the largest of any UN subsidiary body.
• Function
  • ECOSOC is responsible for coordinating the social and economic fields of the organization, specifically in regards to the 15 specialized agencies, the five regional commissions under the jurisdiction, the eight functional commissions.
  • It also serves as a central forum to discuss the international social and economic issues and formulating policy recommendations addressed to the member states and the United States system.

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News Summary: 62nd Session of UN Social Development Commission

• India has been elected as the Chair of the 62nd Session of the Commission for Social Development.

62nd Session of the Commission for Social Development

• India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ruchira Kamboj will be the chairperson of the 62^nd Session.
• Theme – “Fostering social development and social justice through social policies to accelerate progress on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and to achieve the overarching goal of poverty eradication”
  • The theme emphasises the important connection between social development and social justice as fundamentals to achieving SDGs.
• Significance
  • The opportunity comes at a time when India is leading the G20 and is steering the global agenda through its G20 Presidency.
  • In addition, India has undertaken a number of initiatives and policies to advance the social development of its citizens, which might be very advantageous for other nations.

Q1) What was the 1995 Copenhagen summit?

 At the World Summit for Social Development (WSSD), held in March 1995 in Copenhagen, Governments reached a new consensus on the need to put people at the centre of development. The Social Summit was the largest gathering ever of world leaders at that time.

Q2) What did the 1995 World Summit for Social Development emphasize?

 The Declaration emphasized the eradication of poverty as an ethical, social, political and economic imperative.

Source: India elected as Chair of 62nd Session of the Commission for Social Development | UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs | United Nations